Apollodorus - I built a privacy-first batch photo pipeline as a solo web app
For context, at home I have an iMac and some "real" image editing software. But away from home, I have the problem where I sometimes need to batch-prep photos but I don't have access to my usual apps, and I don't want to upload photos to some third party cloud processor.
Apollodorus is my answer: it's a web app (works as a PWA too) where I can drop in a bunch of images, compose a pipeline of edits, preview the result, and export it all in a zip file. All the processing is client-side so photos don't leave the machine.
It's live at: https://apollodorus.pages.dev
The app isn't trying to replace full editors. It's mostly aimed at repetitive prep (resize, compress, cutouts/shadows, multi-size exports, etc.) especially when you're on a phone or using someone else's computer (or a work computer). Since everything gets processed client-side, it works fine even on slow or unreliable WiFi.
Since it's a solo project, there's probably some rough edges. I added the features I used most often, then I started tinkering around and adding more features that seemed interesting at the time, and now the project just keeps on growing. Anyway, I hope it'll come in handy for anyone who needs something like this.
(also, for anyone wondering about the name: "Apollodorus" was an ancient Greek painter famous for shading techniques, and at 3 AM when I was tinkering with gradients, I thought it was clever to name the project after him.)
The "someone else's computer or work computer" use case is the sharpest part of the pitch, that's exactly where installing real editing software isn't an option and uploading to a cloud processor feels wrong, so client-side batch prep genuinely fills a gap rather than just being a lighter alternative.
Client-side processing holding up on slow WiFi is a nice side benefit of the same architectural choice, not a separate feature, that's usually how the best constraints work.
The Apollodorus name story is a good reminder that the best project names come from whatever you're staring at at 3am, not a naming workshop.
The “someone else’s computer” use case is surprisingly compelling.
You need enough capability to finish a real batch job, but you don’t want to install software, move files into somebody else’s cloud, or recreate your normal setup. That’s a pretty specific moment where a browser tool actually has an advantage rather than just being a lighter editor.
It's also a scenario that's been surprisingly common for me, so it was a major reason behind this whole project. 😅
That makes the choice much more interesting.
Was there anything about using it in those situations that changed what you originally thought the product needed to be?
No, it just reinforced my idea that a web app that could be accessed from anywhere was really the way to go. It's the most convenient way to package a product, after all.